Referring to the attitude of the European Union regarding the events unfolding in the Arab world, GUE/NGL MEP Kyriacos Triantaphyllides (Cyprus) said:

"The EU confuses immobility with stability; this attitude is reprehensible since it failed to hear the calls for freedom and social justice of the peoples of the region".

"But the European Union can act differently, correctly. And it has proved this in the case of Palestine, at least as regards "state building". Even though the EU does not have a strong political voice in the conflict, it has stood by the government of President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad in the last 2-3 years in such a way as to enable the setting up of the necessary institutions allowing Prime Minister Fayyad to ask for recognition of the independent state of Palestine by the United Nations next September. And I expect that when this call is made the EU will respond positively."

"The EU could play a similar role in the countries of the wider region. I wish, hope and urge the EU to negotiate and conclude agreements with each of the countries whose peoples seek change and together with the representatives of these peoples determine the areas in which the EU could help financially and otherwise, through the exchange of experts and the establishment of joint programmes for the socio-economic development of the region. By doing so the EU would also achieve the very goals it has set itself in its Neighbourhood Policy".

Speaking on the same subject, Patrick Le Hyaric  (France) asked the EU's High Representative Mrs Ashton to make strong political statement and immediately recognize the Palestinian state within its 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

GUE/NGL Press contact
Gianfranco Battistini +32 475 64 66 28
Gay Kavanagh + 32 473 84 23 20
David Lundy + 32 485 50 58 12